Jellycat vs Squishmallows: Which Plush Is Right for You?

Two plush brands dominate UK wish lists right now, and almost nobody stops at one of each. So in the Jellycat vs Squishmallows debate, which soft toy actually earns a spot on your shelf or in the pram? We stock both in big numbers, over 260 Jellycat designs and more than 380 Squishmallows lines, so treat this as a collector-to-collector breakdown rather than a sales pitch. Below we compare feel, sizes, real UK prices, collectability and care, then give you a straight answer for babies, gifts and growing collections.

TL;DR: Jellycat vs Squishmallows at a glance

• Jellycat: London brand since 1999. Softer, fur-like feel and sculpted characters. Plush starts at £12.99 here. Best for newborns, keepsake gifts and design-led collectors.
• Squishmallows: US brand since 2017, now made by Jazwares. Round, marshmallow-soft, sized from 3.5in clip-ons up to 24in jumbos. Prices start at £3.99. Best for kids, budget buyers and squad collectors.
• Want resale potential? Retired Jellycat designs tend to hold value better.
• Want maximum squish for less? Squishmallows win on price.
• Collecting by character? Squishmallows has more than 1,000 named characters. Jellycat wins on craft.

Shop the Jellycat collection or browse our full Squishmallows range.

What is Jellycat?

Jellycat is a London soft toy brand, founded in 1999 by brothers Thomas and William Gatacre. The name came from a child's suggestion that mixed two simple ideas, a jelly and a cat. The look is unmistakable. Deep, fur-like fabric. Gentle stitched faces. Characters that run from the signature Bashful range to the Amuseable line, where food and everyday objects get sleepy little faces.

Here is the part collectors care about. Jellycat refreshes its catalogue twice a year, every January and July, and retires older designs on a rolling basis. That planned scarcity is why a discontinued Amuseable can be so hard to track down later.

What is a Squishmallow?

Squishmallows launched in 2017 under Kellytoy and now sit with Jazwares, which bought Kellytoy in 2020. The tagline says it all: "Squad Up!". These are round, pillow-soft plush made from a marshmallow-like polyester, and every character ships with a name and a short backstory printed on the tag.

Size is a big part of the appeal. They run from 3.5in clip-ons up to 24in jumbos, with a pocket-sized 2.5in Micromallows line below that. The brand started with just eight characters in 2017 and has since grown past 1,000, released in themed squads and shop exclusives, so the collecting game here is about hunting specific faces.

Jellycat vs Squishmallows: the comparison table

Feel and material: which is softer?

This is where the two part ways. Jellycat uses a deeper, fur-like pile over a sculpted body, so a Bashful Bunny has real ears, paws and a shaped head. It feels crafted. Squishmallows go the other way: one uniform, springy squish with minimal detail, built to be squashed flat and bounce straight back.

Neither is better, they just do different jobs. A Jellycat feels like a gift. A Squishmallow feels like a pillow you happen to love. Honest take from the shop floor: kids grab the Squishmallow first, adults reach for the Jellycat.

Sizes and range

Squishmallows win on a clear size ladder. You step up in neat increments: 3.5in clip-ons, then 5in, 7.5in, 8in, 11in, 16in, 20in and the 24in monster, with the pocket-sized 2.5in Micromallows sitting below all of that. Same character, pick your scale. The 7.5in and 8in are the everyday favourites in the shop, big enough to cuddle and small enough to line a shelf with.

Jellycat is less about a ladder and more about variety of shape. One design might only come in two or three sizes, but the catalogue spans tiny bag charms right up to large statement pieces, plus comforters and books made for babies.

Price in the UK

Squishmallows are the easier entry point. In our range, Micromallows blind packs start at £3.99, 3.5in clip-ons sit around £4.99, and a 7.5in plush like Coco the Mint Koala is £9.99. An 8in character such as the Grinch with Heart lands at £12.99.

Jellycat sits higher because of the build. Smaller plush like the Sensational Seafood Scallop start at £12.99 and the Fossilly T-Rex at £13.99. The popular Bashful animals run roughly £22.99 to £24.99, and larger designs such as the Cranberry Octopus reach £59.99. You pay more, but you can feel where the money went.

Collectability and resale

Both brands are properly collectable, just in different ways. Squishmallows reward the hunt. Rarity tiers, seasonal squads and shop exclusives keep fans chasing specific characters, and a hard-to-find face can climb in price on the secondary market.

Jellycat leans on retirement. Once a design is pulled it is gone for good, and demand does the rest. Retired and limited pieces regularly resell well above their original price on sites like Vinted and eBay, and the rarest can climb into serious money. One honest word of caution though. Those are asking prices, not guaranteed sales. Buy the plush you actually love and treat any resale upside as a bonus, not a plan.

Which should you buy?

• For a newborn or baby gift: Jellycat. The comforters and soothers are made to be soft and light from day one.
• For kids and pocket money: Squishmallows. More squish, lower price, easy to collect.
• For character or squad collecting: Squishmallows, by a mile, with more than 1,000 names to chase.
• For a keepsake or design-led gift: Jellycat. The craft shows.
• For resale potential: Jellycat retired designs have the stronger track record.

Common mistakes to avoid

Watch for fakes. Both brands are heavily counterfeited, so buy from a trusted UK seller and check the sewn-in tags. Do not machine wash a Jellycat, as the care label asks for surface washing by hand, while most Squishmallows can be spot cleaned or gently washed inside a pillowcase. Read the label first, every time. And do not assume a size or character will restock. Retired Jellycat designs and Squishmallows exclusives often never come back.

Jellycat vs Squishmallows FAQ

Are Jellycat or Squishmallows better for babies?
Jellycat, in most cases. The Bashful soothers and comforters are made to be soft and light for newborns. Squishmallows are aimed more at kids, teens and adult collectors, so always check the age guidance on the label.

Which is more collectable?
Both, in different ways. Jellycat value comes from retired and limited designs. Squishmallows value comes from rare characters, exclusives and complete squads.

Are Squishmallows cheaper than Jellycat?
Usually yes. Squishmallows start at £3.99 in our range, while Jellycat plush starts at £12.99. The gap reflects the materials and the sculpted build.

How many sizes do Squishmallows come in?
The core plush runs from 3.5in clip-ons up to 24in, with 5in, 7.5in, 8in, 11in and 16in in between, plus a tiny 2.5in Micromallows line. The 7.5in and 8in are the everyday favourites.

How should you wash them?
Check the label every time. Jellycat recommends surface washing by hand with no submerging. Most Squishmallows can be spot cleaned, and many handle a gentle machine wash inside a pillowcase, then air drying.

The verdict

Pick Squishmallows for squishy comfort, low prices and big-squad collecting. Pick Jellycat for craft, newborn-safe softness and designs that hold their value once retired. Plenty of our customers buy both, and that is a perfectly good answer. Ready to start or grow a collection?

Shop the Jellycat collection or shop the Squishmallows collection at Infinity Collectables, with fresh plush landing regularly and every order sent from the UK.